Frustration

Finally back on my computer, after 2 weeks of my internet being completely crap. Oh well I got lucky, since there has been no big news from the Flames or the NHL but it has been like that from pretty much July 3rd. There were a few topics i did want to talk about though....

Starting with our beloved Calgary Flames,
it has been quiet around the city of Calgary were you can hear a pin drop when it comes to any news coming from the front office. The only news is that the new Flames Reebok jerseys, the ones the whole league is going too are coming out in September. I'm thinking and hoping they will look similar but just without horizontal stripes on them. I want one, but I did just get a new Phaneuf jersey last February, so we will have to see.

The team making the most moves with a trade, a signing and a retirement was the lonely Phoenix Coyotes.
They started the week by trading former Stanley Cup winner C Kevyn Adams to the Chicago Blackhawks for LW Radim Vrbata. I personally think this is a great move for the Coyotes, who are just starting to re-build and Vrbata just starting to find his form in the NHL. Vrbata is coming off a 41 point season which included 14 goals. Putting him with Shane Doan and either former Flame Steven Reinprecht or prospect Peter Mueller on the top line could give the Coyotes at least one decent line. They then signed G Alex Auld to a one year contract. This signing came to a surprise to me considering the Coyotes just signed G David Aebischer, they already had Mikael Tellqvist and they also have a possible NHL goalie in David LeNeveu in the minors. Auld is currently list #3 on the Coyotes depth chart list so that moves LeNeveu to #4. I think they should of left Aebischer for some other team and just signed Auld, since Auld is still young and still has a bright future even though he had a dismal year in Florida last year. Finally C Mike Ricci retired, this came to really no surprise to anyone since Ricci only played 5 games for the Coyotes last year before taking the rest of the year off.

The only other team that really made any moves was the New York Islanders.
They started by signing big 6 foot 5 defensemen Andy Sutton to a 3 year contract. Sutton will fit in nicely for the departed Sean Hill who signed with the Wild this offseason. The one thing that comes to my mind when I hear Sutton's name is after the Oilers traded away Chris Pronger, some crazy Oiler suggested the Oilers should pick up Sutton who he thought would be able to fill in for Pronger no problem. Ok there buddy. Then today the Islanders added C Josef Vasicek. He will fill in their vacancy of a 3rd line center.

Some other notes....

C Mike Peca is reportedly going to the New York Rangers. He will play center on the 3rd line to fill the vacancy of Matt Cullen who they traded either on this month. I think this is another great signing for the Rangers who are completely revamping their center position with the signings of Drury, Gomez and now Peca. The Rangers have to be considered as a top 2 team in the east for sure.